This invention pertains to building frame structure, and more particularly to a unique column-to-beam direct connection, and additionally to several unique column and beam interconnections, employable in such a frame structure. Several preferred embodiments of the invention are thus shown and described herein.
To clarify certain terminology which is employed herein, a “column/beam connection” is a single connection which exists adjacent one end of a beam, and between that beam end and a column. A “beam/beam connection” is a single connection which exists between the end of a beam and the side of a beam. A “column/column interconnection” refers to a pair of single “column/beam connections” (i.e., where a beam extends between and interconnects a pair of next-adjacent columns). A “column/beam interconnection” refers to an associated, single “column/beam connection”, and a single “beam/beam connection” (i.e., where a beam extends between and interconnects a column and a beam). A “beam/beam interconnection” refers to a pair of single “beam/beam connections” (i.e., where a beam extends between and interconnects a pair of next-adjacent beams. A “beam cross-connection” refers to any one of a “column/column interconnection”, a “column/beam interconnection”, and a “beam/beam interconnection”. Each beam cross-connection includes a single one of what is referred to herein as a cross-connection beam.
Proposed among other things for use in relation to the invention, although many different forms may be employed, is an elongate column structure which is formed from an assembly of plural, elongate, angle-iron-like components that are united by bolting them together through interposed spacers which help to define the final configuration of the column. In a specific column arrangement shown herein, four such angle-iron-like components are employed, with each of these taking the form, generally, of an elongate, right-angle, angle-iron section of otherwise conventional construction, and with cross-like spacers (one or more) interposed and holding these components apart. These four elongate components are arranged in such a fashion that their legs, also referred to herein as spaced flanges, and as spaced, parallel planar plate components, essentially radiate in a star-like manner from the long axis of the assembled column.
Each leg in each angle-iron-like component confrontingly faces one other leg in one adjacent such component.
These spaced, confronting, parallel planar legs, or plate components, play a role as anchor points in the practice and use of the present invention. For example, and as will be seen from a review of the drawings herein, these plate components enable the specially prepared ends of beams (extending central web portions of beams) to be inserted for attachment to columns in a manner which permits straight downward beam lowering (under the influence of gravity) without requiring a forced lateral separation or splaying of otherwise prepositioned, properly laterally spaced, substantially vertical columns to accommodate this activity. Hooks formed in the undersides of such extending beam-end web portions catch pre-installed cross-bolts, or cross-pins, which span a pair of spaced, confronting plate components, and such catching results in automatic establishment of a proper relative spatial relationship between the thus preliminarily interconnected building-frame elements.
The angle-iron-like components and the spacer, or spacers, in the column form shown herein and now being described, are screw-adjustable, nut-and-bolt connected to create a frictional interface between these elements. Depending upon the tightness employed in such connections, the level of frictional engagement can be adjusted, i.e., tighter for more frictional engagement, and looser for less. The assembled combination of angle-iron-like components and spacers forms a generally cross-shaped (transverse cross section) column assembly. Each column assembly is also referred to herein as a column structure, and as a column.
Given this type of column assembly, it will be apparent that there are spaces or recesses (a spatial relationship) provided in the regions between confronting legs (plate components) in an assembled column. In a building frame structure, these recesses, and their associated spatial relationships, are employed, as was just generally outlined above, to receive (i.e., to provide clearance for) modified and inserted end regions (or extensions) of the central webs in elongate I-beams. These same recesses, as illustrated herein, also receive the ends of cross-braces which each takes the form of flat metal bar stock. The end-modified I-beams result from removal of short portions of their upper and lower flanges to create central-web extensions.
Bolt holes, or openings, that are provided appropriately in the flanges in the angle-iron-like components in a column, and as well as in the end central-web extensions in a beam, are employed with nut-and-bolt cross-assemblies to complete an anchored connection between a column and a beam. In such a column/beam assembly (a connection), the column and beam directly engage one another through a frictional interface wherein the level of frictional engagement is nut-and-bolt adjustable.
With respect to such a column/beam connection, and providing now a further elaboration, the lower-most opening provided in an I-beam's web-end projection takes the form of an open-bottomed hook which, during quick, preliminary assembly of a frame structure, extends into the open, or recessed, region between flanges in a column. Under the influence of gravity, the downwardly exposed and facing hook catches and seats onto a preliminarily entered nut-and-bolt assembly, wherein the bolt's shank extends across and spans the space between a pair of flanges to act as a catch on which this hook can seat and become gravity-set. Such seating quickly introduces preliminary stabilization in a frame being assembled, and (as already mentioned) also acts to index the proper relative positions of columns and beams.
With this construction, and as can be seen in the drawings, an I-beam, importantly, can be lowered straight down under the influence of gravity into a proper seated position in a building frame. When so lowered, and as will also be seen, gravity seating of a beam in place produces precision and correct spatial alignment of the beam and of the frame components (plate components, columns and other beams) to which it is attached. This is an important feature of the present invention.
Following seating of a beam in a condition where, as will be seen from description provided later herein, a downwardly facing hook-like slot in the end of a beam web freely receives the shank of a cross-bolt (of a nut-and-bolt assembly) which has been attached to, and which spans, the two spaced plate components in a pair of these components, another cross nut-and-bolt assembly is installed to anchor the beam end in place.
As will further be seen, the invention features column/beam (outlined above) and beam/beam connections. In a beam/beam connection, the side of the central web in a beam is equipped with an attached pair of spaced, upright, parallel-planar plate components which extend laterally outwardly from the associated central web intermediate the opposite ends of the beam. These plate components furnish the same kind of vertical-motion-accommodating spatial clearance described above in relation to the mentioned angle-iron leg components (flanges). The prepared end of the central web in a beam is seated between such laterally extending plate components to establish an orthogonal relationship between two, thus-connected beams. With such an arrangement, vertical, or straight-down, lowering of a beam is employable conveniently to form such a beam/beam connection. Additionally, this structural arrangement, where two beam/beam connections are used collaboratively, enables vertical, or straight-down, lowering of a beam with its two, appropriately prepared ends, to interconnect, say, two, spaced, parallel, next-adjacent, horizontal beams which are already connected to columns. Such a beam/beam interconnection can be accomplished without there being any requirement for forced lateral separating of the two spaced, parallel beams in order to accommodate such a “cross-attachment” of and to another beam.
Modifications to the preferred form of the invention are recognized, and are possible in certain applications. For example, columns might be formed with three rather than four elongate components. With respect to a column having just three such components, the included angles between legs in these elements, progressing circularly about the column's long axis, might be 120°-120°-120°, 135°-135°-90°, or 180°-90°-90°. Illustrations of these arrangements, which are not exhaustive, are illustrated herein.
While different lengths of component-assembled columns can be made in accordance with the invention, such lengths being principally a matter of designer choice, two different column lengths are specifically shown and discussed herein. The principal one of these lengths characterizes a column having a length which is basically the height-dimension of two typical stories in a multi-story building. The other length characterizes a column having a length of approximately of one such story height. The individual columns are stacked end-for-end to create elongate upright column stacks that define an overall building-frame height.
According to one interesting feature of the frame structure shown herein, where two stacked columns abut end-to-end, this abutment exists essentially at the location of one of the floor heights intended in the final building. At this location, interestingly, a direct structural splice is created between such end-contacting, stacked columns, such a splice being established through the nut-and-bolt connected end extension of the central web in a beam. Thus, structural connections between beams and columns may act as connective splices or joints between adjacent, stacked columns. The amount of tightness introduced into the splice-related nut-and-bolt assemblies controls the level of frictional engagement present there between beam and column.
As will become apparent from the description in detail which follows below, taken along with the accompanying drawings, forces which are exerted and transmitted between columns and beams in a building structure formed in accordance with the present invention lie in upright planes which pass through the central longitudinal axes of the columns and beams. Accordingly, load management is, as is most desired, directed essentially centrally between adjacent connected components.
On a side note of interest, the nut-and-bolt, frictional-interface connections existing in the regions of interconnection between elongate column components and spacers, and between beams and columns, allow for limited relative sliding motions between these elements under certain load-handling circumstances. Such motions are believed to enhance the load-management capabilities of a building frame structure, and furnish a certain helpful amount of energy dissipation in the form of non-damaging heat.
The detailed description of the invention now given below, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will clearly bring out the special offerings and advantages of the several facets of the present invention.